Glossary - MSAB

MSAB Digital Forensics Glossary

Key Terms and Definitions

Welcome to Our Digital Forensics Glossary — A resource for clear, concise definitions of key terms used in digital forensic investigations. This glossary includes terminology used in the field of smartphone investigations, mobile data extraction, and the analysis of digital evidence from mobile devices.

As mobile phones become central to cybercrime and digital investigations, it’s essential to understand critical concepts such as IMEI, mobile data acquisition, app artifacts, and SIM card analysis. You’ll also find definitions of broader digital forensics terms like hash values, metadata, and chain of custody — all explained in a straightforward, accessible format. Whether you’re a mobile forensics specialist, law enforcement officer, cybersecurity professional, or student, this glossary offers up-to-date explanations to help you navigate the rapidly evolving field of mobile forensics.

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z

Eavesdropping

The unauthorized interception of digital communications (e.g., emails, VoIP calls) over a network, often investigated in forensics to identify the source and method of the breach.

EDL Mode (Emergency Download Mode)

A low-level operating mode on certain mobile devices (e.g., Qualcomm-based Android phones) that allows forensic examiners to bypass security and extract data directly from the device’s memory. This mode is designed for low-level access to the device’s memory and storage, making it valuable for mobile forensic investigators. When a device is in EDL mode, it […]

Electronic Discovery (eDiscovery)

The process of identifying, collecting, and producing electronically stored information (ESI) for legal proceedings, often overlapping with digital forensics in civil and criminal cases. Relativity is such a platform and XAMN Pro allows exporting to a format that is accepted by Relativity

Email Forensics on Mobile Devices

Email forensics on mobile devices involves the acquisition, preservation, and analysis of email-related data from smartphones and tablets. As mobile devices have become increasingly prevalent in both personal and professional contexts, email communication on these devices has become a valuable source of evidence in digital investigations. Importance of Email Evidence on Mobile Devices Establishing Communication: […]

Embedded System Forensics

The analysis of digital evidence from embedded devices (e.g., IoT devices, automotive systems), requiring specialized techniques to extract data from non-standard hardware.

EMM (Enterprise Mobility Management)

EMM, or Enterprise Mobility Management, refers to a set of tools and technologies used by organizations to manage, secure, and monitor mobile devices used by their employees. EMM solutions typically include features like device enrollment, policy enforcement, app management, and data protection. From a mobile forensics perspective, EMM can present both challenges and opportunities for […]

eMMC (Embedded MultiMedia Card)

eMMC, or embedded MultiMediaCard, is a type of non-volatile storage commonly used in mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. It combines the flash memory and controller into a single package, making it a compact and cost-effective storage solution. From a mobile forensics perspective, understanding eMMC is crucial for data acquisition and analysis. Role of […]

Emulator

A software tool that replicates the behavior of a digital device or operating system, used in forensics to test or analyze evidence in a controlled environment without altering the original.

Encryption

The process of encoding data to prevent unauthorized access, a common challenge in digital forensics when attempting to access locked files, devices, or communications.

Encryption Bypass

Encryption bypass in mobile forensics refers to the techniques and methods used to overcome encryption barriers and access encrypted data on mobile devices. As device manufacturers increasingly implement strong encryption measures to protect user data, encryption bypass has become a critical skill for forensic investigators. Importance of Encryption Bypass Access to Evidence: Encryption can prevent […]

Encryption Key

A piece of data (e.g., a password or cryptographic code) used to decrypt encrypted information, often a target of forensic efforts to unlock evidence.

Endpoint Forensics

The investigation of individual devices (e.g., computers, smartphones) connected to a network to identify evidence of compromise, malware, or unauthorized activity.

Enforcement Data

Digital records collected by law enforcement (e.g., surveillance logs, body camera footage), analyzed in forensics to support criminal investigations or prosecutions.

Ephemeral Data

Temporary data that exists briefly (e.g., RAM contents, chat app messages), requiring rapid forensic capture to preserve evidence before it is lost or overwritten.

Error Log

A record of system or application errors stored digitally, examined in forensics to identify malfunctions, attacks, or user actions relevant to an investigation.

Escalation

The process of elevating a digital forensic case to higher-level experts or tools when initial analysis encounters complex issues, such as advanced encryption or malware.

eSIM

eSIM, or Embedded SIM, is a digital SIM card that is embedded directly into a mobile device’s hardware. Unlike traditional removable SIM cards, eSIMs are reprogrammable and can store multiple mobile network operator profiles. While eSIMs offer benefits like easy carrier switching and remote provisioning, they also present new challenges for mobile forensic investigators. Challenges […]

ESN (Electronic Serial Number)

ESN, or Electronic Serial Number, is a unique identifier assigned to mobile devices, particularly CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) phones. The ESN is programmed into the device during manufacturing and is used for identification and authentication purposes. In mobile forensics, the ESN can be a valuable piece of information for identifying and linking devices to […]

Ethernet Forensics

The examination of network traffic over Ethernet connections to uncover evidence of data transfers, intrusions, or other activities in a forensic investigation.

Event Log

A chronological record of system, application, or user activities (e.g., Windows Event Logs), analyzed in forensics to reconstruct timelines or detect suspicious behavior.

Evidence Acquisition

The collection of digital evidence from a source (e.g., device, network) in a manner that ensures its admissibility and integrity, is a foundational step in forensic investigations.

Evidence Authentication

The process of verifying that digital evidence is genuine and has not been altered, often achieved through hash values or chain-of-custody documentation.

Evidence Bag

A physical or digital container used to securely store and label digital evidence (e.g., drives, devices), ensuring it remains tamper-proof during an investigation.

Evidence Integrity

The assurance that digital evidence remains unchanged from its original state throughout the forensic process, critical for legal admissibility.

Evidence Management

The systematic handling, storage, and tracking of evidence by law enforcement or forensic teams, ensuring its integrity, security, and availability throughout an investigation and legal process.

Evidence Preservation

The act of safeguarding digital evidence to prevent loss, alteration, or corruption, often involving write blockers, imaging, or secure storage techniques.

Evidence Recovery

The retrieval of digital evidence from devices or media, including deleted or hidden data, using forensic tools and methodologies.

Exabyte

A unit of digital storage equal to one quintillion bytes, relevant in forensics when dealing with massive datasets requiring advanced processing and analysis.

Exchange – Crypto Forensics

Platforms that enable users to buy, sell, and trade cryptocurrencies, often analyzed in forensic investigations to trace transactions, identify wallets, or uncover illicit financial activity.

Executable File

A file containing a program that can be run on a device, often analyzed in forensics to detect malware, backdoors, or other malicious code.

ExFAT (Extended File Allocation Table)

exFAT, or Extended File Allocation Table, is a file system developed by Microsoft for flash memory storage devices, such as SD cards and USB drives. It is commonly used in mobile devices, particularly for external storage. exFAT is designed to overcome some of the limitations of the older FAT32 file system, such as the maximum […]

Exfiltration

The unauthorized removal of data from a system, a key focus in forensic investigations to trace how, when, and where sensitive information was stolen.

Expert Witness Testimony for Mobile Forensics

Expert witness testimony plays a crucial role in presenting mobile forensic evidence in legal proceedings. An expert witness is a person with specialized knowledge or expertise in a particular field who provides testimony to assist the court in understanding complex technical matters. In the context of mobile forensics, expert witnesses are often called upon to […]

Exploit

A piece of code or technique that takes advantage of a vulnerability in a system, often examined in forensics to understand the mechanics of a cyberattack.

Exploit Kit

A pre-packaged set of exploits used by attackers to compromise systems, analyzed in forensics to identify attack vectors and attribute incidents.

EXT4 (Fourth Extended File System)

EXT4, or Fourth Extended File System, is a widely used file system in Linux-based operating systems, including Android. It is an improvement over its predecessor, EXT3, offering enhanced performance, reliability, and features. In the context of mobile forensics, understanding EXT4 is crucial for acquiring and analyzing data from Android devices. Key Features of EXT4 Larger […]

Extended File System (EXT)

A file system commonly used in Linux environments (e.g., EXT4), requiring specific forensic tools to extract and interpret data during investigations.

External Drive

A portable storage device (e.g., USB drive, external HDD) that may contain evidence, often imaged and analyzed in forensic cases.

Extraction

The process of retrieving data from a digital source, such as a physical extraction of a device’s memory or logical extraction of its file system, for forensic analysis.

Extraction Files – Mobile Device Forensics

Files generated during the forensic extraction process from mobile devices, containing captured evidence such as call logs, messages, photos, or app data for analysis.

Extraction of Data – Mobile Device Forensics

The process of obtaining data from a mobile device and storing it in an approved, forensically sound location for further examination and use as evidence.

Extractions of iOS Devices – Mobile Device Forensics

The specialized process of retrieving data from iOS devices (e.g., iPhones, iPads), often involves techniques like jailbreaking, backups, or advanced tools to bypass encryption and access evidence.

This website uses cookies

Cookies ("cookies") consist of small text files. The text files contain data which is stored on your device. To be able to place some type of cookies we need your consent. We at MSAB, corporate identity number 556244-3050 use these types of cookies. To read more about which cookies we use and storage duration, click here to get to our cookiepolicy.

Manage your cookie-settings

Necessary cookies

Necessary cookies are cookies that need to be placed for fundamental functions on the website to work. Fundamental functions are for instance cookies that are needed for you to use menus and navigate the website.

Functional cookies

Functional cookies need to be placed for the website to perform in the way that you expect. For instance to remember which language you prefer, to know if you are logged in, to keep the website secure, remember login credentials or to enable sorting of products on the website in the way that you prefer.

Statistical cookies

To know how you interact with the website we place cookies to collect statistics. These cookies anonymize personal data.

Personalization cookies

In order to provide a better experiance we place cookies for your preferances

Ad measurement cookies

To be able to provide a better service and experience we place cookies to tailor marketing for you. Another purpose for this placement is to market products or services to you, give tailored offers or market and give recommendations on new concepts based on what you have bought from us previously.

Ad measurement user cookies

In order to show relevant ads we place cookies to tailor ads for you

Personalized ads cookies

To show relevant and personal ads we place cookies to provide unique offers that are tailored to your user data